Merchandising pack and method of assembling the same



March 3, 1936. M. P. CHAPLIN MERCHANDISING PACK AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLINGTHE SAME Filed April 27 1954 2 Sheet s-Sheet 1 u" -uuuuummm lLuLLu-.Dzveni-ar .IIrleBOlaaplin March 3, 1936. P. CHAPLIN 2,032,351

MERCHANDISING PACK AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING .THE SAME Filed April 27,1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I fiwentqr nel-zezwaa lm i my Patented Mar. 3,1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MERCHANDISING PACK AND METHODASSEMBLING THE SAME Application April 27, 1934, Serial No. 722,724

In the merchandising of paper plates and dishes in which foods are to beplaced, it is very necessary that the insides or top surface which comesin contact with the food be kept clean and sanitary as they are notwashed or otherwise cleaned prior to use as would be the case with achina or metal dish.

Where these plates or dishes are shipped in bulk to the ultimate user,the bulk packages protect the article during shipment and these articlesbeing used directly from these packages by the user are protected andkept clean and sanitary.

However, where paper plates and dishes are sold in small quantities theyare usually displayed on counters where they may be exposed tocontamination and may be handled by prospective customers, it isnecessary to provide a different form of package.

The purchaser naturally wishes to see as much of the article as possibleand at the same time the surface of the article on which foods are to beplaced must be protected from that contamination which would inevitablyoccur if the articles themselves are handled unprotected. My inventioncontemplates a method of preventing contamination and still permittingexamination by covering the surface of the plate or dish with atransparent head or window. This covering may be a thin transparentsheet drawn tightly over the top surface of the plates or dishes throughwhich the surface of the plate can be examined but preventing any dirtor other contamination from reaching this surface.

If such a covering is made thin enough to be sufliciently transparent itis apt not to have sufficient strength and durability to withstandhandling and shipment of the package without becoming damaged. This isparticularly true where the entire package of plates or dishes arewrapped in a transparent covering alone. Such packages are particularlyweak where the wrapper is bent or folded over the edges of theplates andsois very easily broken at this point.

According to myinvention I provide more protection for the packagearound the edges of the plates and dishes than is afforded by thewrapper alone, but-it is not necessary that this wrapper protect thebottom of the plate or dish in the package. Thisbottom does not come incontact with the food which may be. placed in the plate or dish and lackof covering over it provides for a more complete examination of thearticle by a prospective purchaser. I v The desirable transparentcovering or wrap- 9 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) ping materials are expensiveand if a sheet large enough to wrap the entire package is used, itbecomes a very considerable item in the cost of the finished package. Myinvention provides a transparent sheet only large enough to coveradequately the top surface of the plates or dishes, this being securedin place by a heavy especially formed protective band around the edgewhich not only secures the transparent wrapper in place, but forms anadequate protection for the sheet at the edges of the plates, protectsthe edges of the plates against the entrance of dust and dirt and firmlyholds the plates or dishes and their transparent covering in a compactand attractive package.

My invention therefore provides for the use of a minimum quantity oftransparent material to cover the portion of the plate or dish in whichthe food is to be placed and permitting the entire surface to be seen.It provides for a heavy protective band for securing the transparentcovering sheet in the assembled package of dishes in place, but allowsfor a certain variation in thickness of the package still holding themtightly compressed and preventing the entrance of dust and dirt.

This method of holding a transparent wrapper over the tops of the platesallows for expansion and contraction of the transparent wrapper withoutputting suflicient strain on it to cause rupture. If the transparentwrapper contracts unduly it may be withdrawn slightly from its positionbetween the band and the plates and being held in place by the frictiongrip of theband on the plates. In such a package in which thetransparent covering, a protective band and the desired quantity ofplates or dishes are assembled together in a single operation, the useof adhesives of any kind for securing the transparent wrapper to thepackage may be avoided. The protective band around the edge of thepackage affords a surface on which can be printed the description of thecontents ofthe package, advertising matter and the like.

In such packages in accordance with my invention, a predetermined numberI of plates or like articles constitutes the stiffening factor orbackbone of the pack itself. The character of the plates and dishes 'ofthis pack makes them nat-.

urally-resilient and this factor is utilized in the assembly of thearticles withthe wrapper in the protective band.

These and various other advantages and'immerchandizing unit, as also itsmethod of assembly.

In the specification reference is made to the accompanying drawings andin these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pack in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 a fragmentary section through such a pack.

Fig. 3 a view of the marginal band.

Fig. 4 a view of the transparent cover sheet.

Fig. 5 is a view of a fragment of the band strip.

Fig. 6 shows its initial channel bend.

Fig. '7 indicates the same strip with its edges folded and ironed flat.

Fig. 8 is a view of the same but partially reopened as will bedescribed.

Fig. 9 is a partial section of a fragment of pack material beingassembled in a die.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragment of the edge band, and

Fig. 11 is a section through the pack in the assembling die.

In these drawings there is indicated at P, fibre articles ofconventional plate type. Such articles may be of varied manufacture, butthose molded especially as by suction onto foraminous dies have certaincharacteristics that lend themselves to combinative relations in thepack and its method of assembly.- I do not wish to be limited by anymethod of making the article itself.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the pack as a unitconsists of a stack of such plates P in nested relation and having acover C of transparent or like material over the top plate, the packbeing unified by a marginal gripping inclusive of all the plates.

The plates P or other articles therefore constitute a part of the packitself. The bottom of the bottom plate P of the. pack is preferablyuncovered and exposed and is utilized as the basis on which to rest thepack when on the counter. The inside of the upper plate P at the top ofthe stack is clearly visible through the transparent material or likecover sheet C so' that its finish or any other feature which is desiredto be inspected can be plainly seen. Furthermore, this structure and themethod of assembling the same make possible. a high degree of perfectionin the sealing of the cover sheet, and in its functioning as a window.These transparent materials if allowed to become slack or wrinkled losesome of their transparency. Furthermore, if the cover sheet is slack itis more likely to rupture or tear. The pack is held together by a band Bhaving an upper inclined flange b and a lower inclined flange D The endsof the strip forming the band B are abutted as at a and spliced by asplint S of fibre stock or adhesive tape. The member 8 may be continuedall around the band for added strength, but in practice a short splintwith the strong stock of the band is sufficient. The splint S flts inbetween the flanges b and b of the band B and makes a strong tight jointcapable of standing the strains of such a pack.

While the bottom of the pack may also be covered, it isfoundsatisfactory in practice to let the bottom of the lowermost plate Pin the pack form the bottom of the unit, and in fact, the units pack andhandle better with the lower side consisting of a plate bottom.

As indicated in Fig. 2, in articles like plates having a depressedbottom p surrounded by a raised rim 1: the projecting bottom supportsthe mama-mus. 10 he:

pack unit on a counter top T with the band and crimpings out of contact.

In the drawings I have shown a continuous strip or band B which isformed automatically of three successive and continuoussteps into theshape shown in Fig. 8, and at which time it is curved to approximatelyfit around the outside of the package as shown in Fig. 3. The flange bforms the top or the transparent wrapper side of the package, and theflange b forms a flexible lock which secures the package of plates ordishes together.

The continuous strip B, Fig. 3, may be of any suitable material, eitherfibre or. metal, but I prefer using a tough strip of homogeneous fibreas I find this more durable after it is assembl d with the package. Thewidth of the strip or band B is sumcient for the desired quantity ofarticles to be packed plus the flanges at the top and bottom of thepackage. cally folded on the two sides as shown in Fig. 6, the twoflanges being then at right angles to the normal length of the strip.

The next operation is to fold these two flanges over and to pressthem'tightly on the main portion of the strip as shown in Fig. 7. Forthis purpose I preferably use two rollers having fine teeth which assistin reforming and reshaping the flanges, preparing them for the finaloperation to bring them into shape as shown in Fig. 8. The

strip as shown in Fig. 7 is fed onto a curved wheel having on one side ashape suitable to form the flange b The band or strip is held tightlyagainst this wheel or drum by a curved shoe which is preferably heated.The pressure and heat result in the band being curved to the approximatediameter of the package on which it is to be used and the flanges takethe position as shown at b and b, Fig. 8.

This continuous strip is then cut into lengths a being laid on top ofthewrapper as shown at Z dotted line, Fig. 11, and the plates including thetransparent wrapper are then pushed downward as shown in Fig. 9, pastthe flange B which deflects outward until all of the plates have passedand then snaps inwardly to hold them in place as shown in Fig. 11.

In this step the disc C as. it folds over the edges of the plates ordishes acts as a shield or "shoe spoon" to guide the edges of the platesby the top edge b of the band which is held in place by the die D. Whenthe assembly of plates or dishes has been pushed downwardly to bring thebottommost plate against the flange b a slight additional pressure onthe uppermost plate around the edge compresses the stack axially andpermits the flange b to snap inwardly over the edges of the plates toretain them in the position as is shown in Figs. 2 and 11. The naturaltendency of the stackofplates ordishestore-expandaxiallyafter beingcompressed continues to hold them tightly gmbledbetweentheflangesbandbofthe Various modifications in the product and method may obviouslybe resorted to without do- This strip is first automatii parting fromthe spirit of the invention if within the limits of the appended claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In an article pack, a plurality of nested assembled plates, dishes,receptacles, or the like, a cover sheet over one end of the pack andfolded over the edge of the pack, an annular band surrounding the edgeof the pack and exerting radial pressure on the folded portion of thecover sheet and on the edge of the pack to retain said cover sheet andarticles in position.

2. In an article pack a plurality of nested assembled plates, dishes,receptacles or the like, a relatively fragfle cover sheet over the topof the upper article of the pack and a relatively tough protective bandenclosing the edges of the assembled articles and exerting radialpressure thereon and on the cover-sheet whereby said cover sheet andarticles are retained in assembled position.

3. In an article pack a plurality of plates, dishes, receptacles or thelike, a relatively fragile cover sheet over the top of the upper articleof the pack, a relatively tough protective band of greater depth thanthe total thickness of the pack at its edges, said band having top andbottom flanges contacting the edges of the pack and the cover sheetwhereby radial pressure is exerted on the cover sheet and on the edgesof the articles, said pressure cooperating with the top and bottomflanges to retain cover sheet and the nested articles in assembledposition.

4. In an article pack, a plurality of nested plates, dishes, receptaclesor the like, a cover sheet over the top of the upper article, animperforate annular band surrounding the edge of the pack and exertingradial pressure thereon and on the cover sheet whereby the cover sheetand the articles are retained in position.

5. An article pack comprising a stack of nested,

band having an inwardly projecting retaining flange and an inwardlyprojecting locking flange. saidlocklngflangeservingtoretainthearticlesafter they have been compressed against the retaining flange.

6. The method of packaging nested plates, dishes, receptacles or thelike which consists in forming a resilient flbrous annular band having aretaining flange and a locking flange and of compressing a stack ofnested articles into the band past the locking flange and against there.- taining flange until the locking flange engages the stack ofarticles to retain them in position.

'7. The method of packaging nested plates, dishes, receptacles or thelike, which consists in forming a resilient flbrous annular band havinga retaining flange and a locking flange and of placing a cover sheetover a stack of articles and compressing the stack of nested articlesand the cover sheet into the band past the locking flange and againstthe retaining flange until the locking flange engages the stack ofarticles to retain them in position.

8. The method of packaging nested plates, dishes, receptacles or thelike, which consists in forming a resilient fibrous annular band havinga retaining flange and a locking flange, of placing said band in aretaining ring and of compressing the stack of nested articles into theband past the locking flange and against the retaining flange until thelocking flange engages the stack of articles to retain them in positionwhereby the resilient annular band exerts radial pressure on theperiphery of the nested articles when removed from the retaining ring.

9. The method of packaging nested plates, dishes, receptacles or thelike which consists in forming a resilient flbrous annular band having aretaining flange and a locking flange, of placing said band in aretaining ring, of placing a cover sheet between said articles and saidring, of compressing the stack of nested articles and the cover sheetinto the band past the locking flange and against the retaining flangeuntil the locking flange engages the stack of articles to retain them inposition whereby the resilient annular band exerts radial pressure onthe periphcry of the nested articles and on the cover sheet therebetweenwhen removed from the retaining ring.

MERIE P. CHAPLIN.

